title: Correlation between response to progesterone and other functional parameters in human spermatozoa.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the proportion of human sperm that respond to progesterone and to determine their capacitation state.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sperm population was separated according to motility by means of a Percoll density gradient; three subpopulations of low, medium, and high motility were obtained.
  
  
  METHODS
  University-based laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sperm samples from healthy donors with normal spermatogram values were used.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  METHODS
  The percentage of viable spermatozoa that increased the intracellular [Ca2+]i in response to progesterone was determined with a fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS). The percentage of capacitated spermatozoa was determined as the difference between with and without phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate stimulus according to fluorescence microscopy and the FACS methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant linear relationship between the proportion of motile cells and the percentage of sperm that increases the [Ca2+]i in response to progesterone was observed with or without previous phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate treatment. The slope of the correlation equation corresponding to the phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate treatment was significantly lower. In addition, a significant correlation between capacitation and motility was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It seems likely that the proportion of capacitated and progesterone-responding human sperm correlates with motility.
authors.affiliation: The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Isarel. Giojalas@famaf.uncor.edu
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Giojalas
mesh_terms: D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002469:Cell Separation; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D011374:Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012016:Reference Values; D013075:Sperm Capacitation / Q000502:physiology; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000502:physiology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D011374:Progesterone; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; D002118:Calcium